Nettle Leaf Tea Recipe (Nettle Infusion)

5 from 1 vote

Nettle Leaf Tea Recipe (Nettle Infusion)

Nature's Multivitamin - nettle tea - contains vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants that support detox, energy, seasonal allergy relief & more.

Prep Time 5

Steeping Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings cup

Calories 2kcal

Author Heather Dessinger

Ingredients

1 cup water
1-3 tsp dried nettle leaf (or 1-3 tablespoons fresh nettle leaf)

Instructions

Place your tea in an infuser basket – I love this mug because it comes with an infuser basket and a lid. It holds 16 ounces, so if you happen to pick one up you'll want to double the recipe.
If you don't have an infuser basket, you can make the infusion and then strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into your mug.
Boil the water and pour it over the herbs. Cover with a small plate (or a tea cover if you have one) and allow the tea to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the infuser basket and sweeten the tea with honey, maple syrup, etc. if desired.

Notes

David Hoffman, author of Medical Herbalism, recommends making nettle infusions by steeping the herb in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. With this approach you're able to optimally extract some of the hard-to-get beneficial compounds such as tannins.

However, if you want to focus on preserving vitamin C content, use water that is between 122–140°F (boiling is 212°F) and steep for 10 minutes. Personally, I get vitamin C from a wide variety of sources, so I focus more on extracting the other polyphenols, amino acids, minerals and pigments that are present.

Long Infusion Instructions

To make a long infusion that extracts more of the minerals, fill a quart-sized heat-proof jar about 1/4 full of dried nettle. Pour boiling water into the jar until the nettle is covered and the jar is mostly full. Stir, cover with a lid and let steep for 4-8 hours, then strain and drink.

Nutrition